Stillwell Audio releases Schwa Olga

Schwa (Stillwell Audio) has released Olga, a virtual analog synthesizer unlike any other, designed from first principles to be distinctive.

From the product page:

Imagine a handmade experiment from an unlikely place, a synthesizer so full of life and character that it earns the right to be called a musical instrument. Olga encourages risk, experimentation, and exploration, and rewards you with unexpected and exciting sounds, vibrant and human. This is the dusty gem you could spend your life searching for.

Schwa Olga features

Bezier Antialiased Dynamic Analog Synthesis System
Olga uses a truly new approach to DSP waveform generation to emulate glorious analog imperfection. Olga’s free running oscillators are in a constant state of structured variability, a deeply musical instability, free of aliasing artifacts and light on your CPU.

Gaussian Reactive Oscillator Overdrive Virtual Engine
Throughout Olga’s signal path, levels can be pushed through saturation and into full overdrive, with a thickness that develops organically, breathing life and character into your music.

Schwa Olga is available for Windows PC (Mac AU version coming soon) and costs $80 USD (Reaper-only, non-commercial use license is available for $40 USD).

Visit Stillwell Audio for more information, audio demos and a link to download an evaluation version of Schwa Olga.

I’m so bored by “analogue” software synths. There are some great ones, sure but they’re all so charming as a Volkswagen “new Beetle”. This is the first one I found which has a different touch, its own voice. It’s mean. It’s somewhat unpredictable. It’s kinda headstrong. Some presets are outright pathetic because they sound like poor man’s (real) analogue synth – thin but alive. Other sounds are so incredible in-your-face that I fear to lose my front teeth. This is really not yet another analogue synth knockoff…this is a trademark sound bitch you want to use for a soundtrack for “System Shock” or a movie that plays on the descending MIR, entering the atmosphere.

I’m surely sounding like a fanboy, sorry. But consider the price. Most of us have at least once paid the triple price for less. There are not many VA’s out there that play *you*.